Puffin Cottage

Puffin Cottage in Cairnbulg comes fully equipped for a self-catering stay. Electricity, wi-fi, bed linen and towels are all included, so you arrive to a ready-made home. The kitchen has an electric cooker, microwave, air fryer and washing machine; a tumble dryer sits in the external utility room. All three bedrooms have Freeview TVs, as does the living room. The bathroom combines a bath with shower over, and there's a cot, highchair and stairgate if you need them. One dog stays free. The cottage sleeps six across three bedrooms, with a double and three-quarter double downstairs and another double upstairs. An enclosed patio with garden furniture opens onto the garden, and bikes can be stored in the dedicated area.

The village has a shop, post office, Chinese takeaway and ice cream parlour—Peters Ices is nearby. A bus service connects to larger towns. Walking is immediate: the beach at St Combs stretches for miles, and paths inland lead through dunes and farmland back to the fishing village. Loch of Strathbeg Nature Reserve, an RSPB site and Britain's largest dune loch, lies close by with a visitor centre. The reserve is particularly rich in wintering bird species. No smoking inside the property.